Seasonal Sorcery
by lilSunquickRose
Summary: My second RWBY fic, this one will be a lot longer than the first and also significantly more serious. I hope folks enjoy the tale I'm in the progress of weaving. I'd say it's a rather unique take on the characters and an AU I hope most will enjoy. It'll be fairly detailed with quite a bit of story and world building, so do forgive me if I ramble at certain points.
1. Chapter 1

12:13 P.M.

Emerl City Bazaar: Executive Mercantile Loft

"Milady!" a voice calls out, a body following soon after as a man, dressed in clothing that could be best considered bazaar attire, stumbled into the loft. The room, sterling white, had a young woman who lightly let out a 'tsk' of irritation as her eyes fell upon the man who had ruined her moment of reprieve. As he continued to breathed hazardously, waiting on her to address him, she uncrossed her legs and placed her coffee down on the marble table situated in front of her before crossing her arms and speaking calmly, words laced with poison.

"Now my dear sir, do please tell me. What could be so important for you to interrupt my rather enjoyable lunch?"

Her eyes were daggers, piercing into the man with such ferocity that he almost recoiled from the intensity, but he didn't, the info he'd obtained was too important for him not to relay it, even if his Mistress was in the most foul of moods.

"S-s-ship!"

he gasped out which was met with a reactionary snap from the young woman.

"What of the ships?!"

Her patience was waning and he did naught to stave her irritation. Her platinum fair fell over her shoulder as she stood up.

"Speak clearly, or I'll ensure that your great grandchildren live in ruin and squalor."

Her threat was laced with sincerity, cold and methodical in execution, it was less a threat and more an admittance of a possibility. And in doing so he began to speak in words, words that took her aback.

"Impossible. There's no way."

She nearly cut him down with her rapier for what she had heard, but she didn't instead she moved passed him, her grace never faltering, even though she was clearly shaken. Lady Schnee could not believe it, in ten years they had never had any... and yet here and now... with no word, no report until this very moment and what's more there were two.

Her mannerisms changed, her grace was cast aside in turn to put forth a front of serious contemplation as he stepped out of the Loft into the open Bazaar.

I can't let this get out of hand, was all she could muse to herself before her legion acknowledged her existence beyond the snow white veil

The cries of merchants, barters, suppliers, farmers and traders all around turned to silence as they became aware that their Porcelain queen was amongst them, most astonishingly, in an unannounced fashion.

Looking around to the stalls and the stores, corner merchants and children selling hand made trinkets, she addressed them, her voice colder than the frost of winter. Her statement was a proclamation, her words: law.

"Gather the Men."

That was all they needed to scramble amongst themselves, stalls and stores closing instantly. Her guard soon formed themselves around her figure, a defense for the Heiress as a merchant came before her and asked quite curiously

"What is this for, Milady?"

She closed her eyes, her breathing exasperated, her scar pronounced, her body rigid as the words that cast the elderly merchant into a fit of tears slipped coolly.

"Immigrants"

8:47pm

Emerl City Wharf: Storage Grounds

"Well there they are."

The young man says from the safety of the shadows of a warehouse scaffolding as his compatriots appear one by one to gaze down at the harbor.

"They don't look dangerous."

"Looks are deceiving"

"That's not the only thing that can deceive."

"Shut up, all of you."

The last voice was distinctly more feminine than the previous four. Coming from the obvious group of miscreant's leader, she gazed upon the two outsiders, it was like she'd heard... they don't look dangerous, but such beliefs couldn't be kept. These two, these two crossed the grimm sea in nothing more than a sloop, it was ludicrous. No more than that... it defied logic. She'd managed to see the Schnee caravan maps on a raid. There was at least four hundred miles between the Isle and the closest bit of the main land, there's no way any person could survive out there, not with that sparsity.

But there they were, yellow and red, nary a wound on them, no sign of starvation, they were perfectly fine... and that in itself made the two unsettling.

"So what should we do BC?"

The young man asked her quite pointedly, there was no mistake what the situation was now. Whether or not they were remarkable or otherworldly, the point was that those two... for the groups vying for power on this island, they were unmistakably both an asset and a threat.

That wasn't the only issue either. They'd caught whiff of those Schnee dogs and even the Royal Guard had come, whether she liked it or not, a single misstep could lead to all out war at this very port. It truly would be quite a fitting welcome for such illustrious guests, though she did have to wonder if they knew that yet.

BC sighed, in that moment, a dagger appeared in her left hand as the right was lifted and with a single gesture, came the movement of numerous shadows, all from dark corners and locations as the other four, to her left and right saluted, each in their own way before diving off. The last of which was the young man. A cocksure grin on his face, he winked at his 'captain' as he quickly took to extravagantly flipping his way into the darkness, his spinning backflip finished with the flick of a monkey tail... and then he was gone.

Sighing she looked at the situation one last time. Before gathering the robe that rested around her neck and covering her face. What worried her most wasn't who was there, no rather, she found it unsettling who had failed to take interest, but she couldn't leave herself speculating, for now, she'd have to go for what was directly in front of her

"Huh, outsiders."

And then with the throw of that very dagger, she was gone.

9:00 am

Emerl Crown Castle 'Lighthouse': Throne Room

"There'snomistakeaboutityourliege,there'sunquestionablyanundocumentedshipenteringthecity'sbordersatthisverymoment."

The mile a minute speech came from the mouth of a green-haired bespectacled man with a penchant not staying one place. The man who he address, gray haired and with a sense of relaxed composure to himself nodded in acknowledgment of the report he was given.

"So it seems that we have been graced with the presence of guests too our land once again. This certainly is an interesting turn of event."

The monarch could barely contain the gentle smile that came across his face as the woman who stood to the right of his throne, Statuesque and equally imposing cut him off.

"Sire, we have to take proper precautions, you remember what happened ten years ago!"

"Indeed, Glynda. I was there."

His retort was cool and non-malicious, but had served its purpose in allowing him to seize the predominant voice

"The past is the past, and I shall not go out of my way to run befoul of these strangers before we can even learn their names. We shall greet them in the most respectable of manners, and then we can go from there. I dare say, a bit of proper diplomacy is always in order yes?"

His right hand woman could not counter his argument as she relented, but she would not allow just any individual to meet them.

"Very well, but I will have the Royal Guard escort them here."

She remarked quite bluntly before a wave of her hand beckoned a rather portly man into the pressence of the Royal Court.

"You are up to the task are you not, Captain Port?"

"Indubitably, Grimm or man, there's no creature that walks this earth that I can't greet!"

The man, of stocky frame, jovial spirit, and improbably curly mustache treated the task as if it were something of the utmost enjoyment... much to Glynda's embarrassment.

"Ah, excellent choice Ms. Goodwitch."

Their King applauded her choice as he nodded to Captain Port for the gentleman to take his leave. After the bulbous man had left their sight and earshot, he turned to her and said more seriously.

"Do you really believe they deserve the internment of the royal guard?"

"Honestly, yes... but I didn't request him for them."

"Then why did you request them?"

"Because you and I both know, there are more dangers on this isle than there are out at sea, Ozpin."

"I suppose I'm not allowed a simple peaceful reign?"

"I'm fairly certain you always knew that to be the case."

"Well if my reign can't be steady, then at least allow me some coffee to calm my nerves."

"You'll turn into Oobleck if you keep drinking so much, I wouldn't want to envision the state of the land with a King like that."

"Ms. Goodwitch, if that day ever comes, I assure you, this kingdom would have been long lost by then."

?:? A.M.? P.M.?

Grimm Sea

"Sis!"

A young voice calls out, excitement brimming with each letter.

"Wake up, I can see it! There, on the horizon!"

The chipper voice was so overwhelming that it soon cut through the silence that had shrouded her sister's mind with sleep and soon enough, cracks of light would do the same to the darkness of her eyelids, as the young blond-haired woman was roused from her slumber.

Steadying her vision and comprehension, the blonde looked about to see where her sister had gone, it didn't take too long for her perception to register the crimson form. There at the bow of small sea raft stood a young woman, no older than fifteen cycles, her excitement palpable to the other, slightly older woman who gazed upon her.

A glance at her appearance would quickly give the impression that she was a flower given human form. Her short , dark red-hair resting just above the nape of her neck were like the pedals of the plant. Her lithe form was like the gentle stem that held the flower together. And most important of all, her gentle mannerisms (to the trained eye) revealed all that was needed for one to tell that she definitely had thorns. All things considered, the young woman, with beautiful silver eyes was unquestionably a rose.

"What was that Ruby?"

Her sister asked, lifting herself from her resting position to something more sensible for discussion as she looked over the boat's edge to see what lied beyond the endless sea. It was unmistakable, even for the young woman's drowsy eyes what lay not even a mile away. There it was a testament to advancement, the jewel of the Nation, no it was more than that, it was a Beacon for the entire world. The crown city, Emerl.

The towers in each corner of the city spiraled upwards acting as markers of its grandiose appearance. The white banners of the many Schnee Bazaars and stores littered the upper tier of the city, giving the island the visage of a boat, larger than any other, in sail. At the very bottom lay shadows, a district indescribable from so far off, they were akin to caverns, and yet it was obvious that streets and buildings existed all around them. It was like an encroaching darkness, lapped by wave that seemed to draw all the mystique and danger into them. The city was unlike any other, and it had called to the duo.

The Blonde finally stood up, her long hair wafting behind her as she stretched out and gripped the single sail to guide their ship properly to the nearest port that her eyes could see. She was not a flower, but her physique and appearance was not too starkly different in aesthetic from her baby sister, rather it was clear that Ruby would likely grow to gain some of her sister's feature's in a few years herself. But at the moment, they stood starkly at odds with each other, if only due to their brilliant hair colors.

"We're here, sis!"

"Yeah, Yang"

"Are you ready?"

"More than ever!"

Yang draped her arm over her enthusiastic sister's shoulder. A sense of wonder in both of their eyes. These two, unaware of who was watching from the isle, were set on making a name for themselves in the capital, and unquestionably... they would. For sailing on their own towards the crown city were two of the last magic users in existence.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't supposed to turn out this way.

You'd thought you had prepared and taken the necessary precautions. You were meticulous in your strategy and work and yet here you were... dealt the worst possible hand in the aftermath of that horrid debacle.

"It's not fair."

Your words childish, utterly filled with disappointment as your head is halfway submerged, along with the rest of your body in the private springs. There you were, soaking your troubles away as you looked at your 'prize'

Still asleep, arms bound to the walls of your spring with triple binding of iron ropes, was that yellow oaf. You still couldn't believe that woman had so much force as to topple most of your guard just trying to restrain her, even whilst drugged. It was a joke, a sick twisted joke that that criminal played on you... taking the flower whilst you were left with the beast.

Oh how you wished she'd not reared her head

Oh how you wished that the situation didn't devolve into bedlam

Oh how you wished that those two really were just ordinary girls.

Unfortunately, wishing gets you nowhere in business and as the head of this Bazaar, it was up to you to turn this loss into a gain. One way or another.

But first of all, you've got to figure out how you're going to explain to this lady across from you where she was, why she was bound and why the hell was she there and her sister nowhere to be found.

It really was your loss.

* * *

3 hours earlier:

Their boat had reached harbor in far better shape than they had expected. The rickety object bobbing and ebbing as yang tossed the anchoring rope to an equally rickety platform that looked like it could barely support Ruby's weight much less both of them. For the pair, this entrance was merely a whimper for their plans of life in the city, or so they had hoped. It however seemed that the city had other plans for how they would make their introduction.

It was hard to tell if what came next was intimidating or amusing, in any event, it most certainly was extravagant.

Barely off the dock and the duo were greeted from all sides by a menagerie of officers. Clad in dark green uniforms laced with silver, berets donning their heads, the group was impeccable in formation and attire. All standing at attention, hands at their swords as both women looked about, dumbfounded by the situation. But before Yang could raise a question of who the hell they were, her view was obscured by a giant of a man, who strolled quite haughtily towards the duo.

His appearance was as portly as it was comical. Decked out in a uniform not unlike the soldiers everywhere, save for the addition of a cape that draped his right arm, a decal of gold rather than silver and a battleaxe half his size. He had the air of importance, but the physique of a man who'd long retired to eating nothing but pies and drinking nothing but ale day in and day out.

"Um"

Ruby was somewhat taken aback by the company. Yang eyed them warily, taking the moment to slide herself in front of her little sister out of pure instinct. She didn't like the lo...

"WELCOME WELCOME, GOOD DAY TO YOU MY FINE LADIES, WELCOME TO THE BRILLIANT CITY OF EMERL!"

His voice was disarming, absolutely to the point where both sisters reeled in shock, quickly glanced to one another before Yang tried to speak up in response, her defensive attitude being knocked clean away.

"Uh, t-thanks? Who are you?"

"Ah, yes yes, where are my manners. MEN AT ATTENTION!"

At his call, the soldiers, still in perfect formation pivoted on their heels and faced the sisters. Their appearance stonewalled and cocksure. They spoke out, triumphantly and boisterously.

"In service to his highness, Lord Regent of the City of Emerl and Sovereign to the nation of Valria, Sir. Oswald Pinnacle the first! We are the blade and the shield! The gem cut to reflect this city's dazzling light to banish the Dark. Royal Guard of the Castle Lighthouse 'The Emerald Knights!' lead by the Yellow Brigadier, Captain of the guard, Peter Port!"

The act was almost too much for the sisters. In mere moments, Ruby and Yang had gone from apprehension to almost reeling over and falling into the sea from laughter. But it seemed that the endless shocking occurrences were not going to stop there.

"Are you quite done?!"

The voice broke the formation. Be it by her presence or her blade, a young woman quickly managed to push the soldiers out of her way as she and her entourage gathered. They were in stark contrast with the uniformity of the emerald knights.

Standing there, an air of self importance, surrounded by merchants and knights, as if having plucked people from either side of the crusades. The young woman, visibly the same age as Yang, with skin of ivory white was dressed in a regal ghagra choli, a rapier in her right hand which dangled limply as she pointed it towards the sisters.

"TWho are you two?!"

Her words held a tinge of apprehension as she pointed back and forth between them, quick to lay into her interrogation with no consideration for any one else around her.

"Lady Schnee, is that any way to treat these fair maidens?!"

"Sir Port, are you suggesting these two wanderers are worth treating in such a way? All I see is rabble tossed in from the sea."

She was intense, the passion betraying how cold she looked. The sisters eyed each other with hesitation, her words irritated the, but they could tell from her stature and the way she demanded respect that this young lady was someone of stature.

It took a long silence under her scrutiny before Ruby finally spoke up.

"Well, if you must know. I am Tempore Rose Ruby and this big oaf is Tempore Xiao Long... YANG!"

As Ruby was in the middle of introducing herself and her sister, the latter had decided it'd be more appropriate to encroach on the heiress' personal space, and quite quickly at that.

"What's a pipsqueak like you doing ordering us around?"

Her demand was cooler than one would expect from a fiery beauty like her, but it was enough to send the heiress stepping backwards as yang stepped forward, looming over her... only to have her scarf tugged and subsequently her whole body pulled down by her baby sister.

"Yang stop it, there's no need to fight!"

"I'd say this uppity little princess is giving me several!"

"Stop being so difficult!"

"Stop trying to boss me around, I'm the big sister here!"

"Not when you act like that!"

And just like that, the sisters who were in the middle of a tirade had inadvertently destroyed the tension once more. They had completely thrown Weiss and Port out of their realm of recognition which only served to irk the heiress all the more.

"These two are the immigrants?!"

"Unquestionably, Milady."

"They're little more than a pair of vagabonds."

"Well I'd certainly wager that they're more than that."

"Still this isn't the image I thought either would invoke."

"Just further proof of how small your world is, princess."

The last voice was new, a feeling of apprehension entered the air as ruby and yang stopped their playful fight to see what had happened to cause the background noise of _greeters_ to go silent.

The reason made itself quite obvious. All around the wharf: under piers, atop street lights, in the shadows of soldiers and merchants alike. There were people. They had no sense of togetherness, where as there was at least a theme to the Schnee caravan, these people were patchwork.

"Hohoho, so it seems these young ladies have even managed to draw out the black cat gang!"

Port said jovially, his expression changing none even as the leader of these _crooks_ made her appearance.

Face covered in tattered strips that only revealed a pair of yellow eyes. She fell before the other two leaders, her daggers drawn and aimed at both of them even as she herself never stopped facing the sisters

"I'll skip the formalities and say what these two seem rather remiss on getting out. You're going to join my faction and we'll go from there."

"...Why should we."

The duo said in unison, to which they were greeted, from north and south by a with a thrown knife to each of their heads. Though it took nothing for the younger sister to dodge and for the older to catch with only her teeth.

"Seems we're really popular, sis."

Yang remarked as she broke the metal in her mouth before spitting the pieces into the ocean.

"I guess we're not going to have a quiet first day huh?"

They looked to one another before stepping backwards further out onto the pier. Their motions less like a retreat, and more a way to cover each other's steps as they looked all around them.

"On three?"

"On three."

The duo nodded as they watched their _suitors_ in apprehensive tension.

"THREE!"

Forgoing the count down, the sisters somersaulted. Ruby over Yang and Yang under Ruby. The former tossed herself from the pier whilst the latter sent herself into the crowd with an explosion of violence as soldiers and merchants and ruffians scrambled to react.

Ruby was fast to land onto their boat, but so to were a knight and a gangster on either side of her, but before one or the other could lay hand on her, she was gone along with some precious cargo. It wasn't even a question, that girl's speed was inhuman.

On the other end, Yang was faced with numerous bodies, all surrounding her, and trying their damnedest to tie her down. It seemed that her initial display was enough for them to reason that it'd be easier if they just treated her like a beast from the get go. Unfortunately, there was one fatal flaw, she had more muscle than they had rope. When a lasso gripped her arm, she merely tugged it and sent the man on the other end of it flying out into the water. This scene repeated itself until the group came to the conclusion that it'd be better to just rush and dog pile her.

...they should have stuck to wrangling her.

Her fists flew with grace, not a single punch wasted. She didn't bother hitting anyone else more than once. Her legs swept men off their feet, and the subsequent blow from each fist shattered their bones. Whilst the pier was laboriously trying its best to support their combined weight, The fiery blonde was doing a remarkable job of lightening the load with every passing second.

"Insane..."

That was all that Weiss could manage as she watched the blonde bombshell make unrelenting work of grunt after grunt, with not the slightest sign of exhaustion. She was certain that no woman had this kind of physical prowess... none other than Nikos... But her attention could not be placed elsewhere, as she found herself reflexively stopping a blade, it seemed that the cat was tired of playing hostage holder and had moved to strike her down.

"So quick to draw blood, huh, you degenerate."

"I couldn't help it, the sight of you Schnee makes my blood boil."

"Oh, there's blood in those veins of yours?!"

Their venomous argument was highlighted by the clash of blades. A single rapier crossed and parried the two drawn daggers. It was a battle of grace against pragmatism. The rapier, gliding like a swan across water, met each dagger, like hooks of a chain. One hand against two. They locked and relocked crossing one another with no end in sight, it seemed that neither had the advantage. And yet it was that pragmatic black cat that was winning.

Slowly, but certainly, she was pushing Ms. Schnee backwards, exploiting every step she made, each lock of her blade caused the other to make Heiress Schnee backstep out of range. There was clear sense of pressure that Weiss was becoming all too aware of. She was slowly becoming aware that her rival was pressing her into a corner.

In response to the chaos that enveloped the docks, Captain Port did not interfere. He seemed much more content to sit on a crate and watch the festivities unfold, chortling merrily.

* * *

"Ah, it's quite the pleasure to watch youth in action. Reminds me of myself in my prime, you know."

Ruby was flying, her acrobatics managing to keep her out of her assailants grasps. Unlike her sister, who was in the process of beating an entire regiment's worth of men down, Ruby was moving with such speed and unprecedented skill that no one who could even see her form could believe it, especially considering the item that she was carrying behind her. A scythe, larger than her self. Despite its deadly form, it didn't reap a single soul, and none of her motions were with the intent to harm. Still every move she made was made in tandem with that scythe, it was like she was scattering petals, dancing along the wind, Her leg balancing on the edge of the scythe before sending it up with the momentum of her weight and then unrealistically following it. The only person even close to capable of doing such things... was the same woman Weiss had found herself backed into a corner by.

All things, no matter how graceful, or chaotic, had a beginning and an end. And this war was no exception. As the four women revealed their prowess, so to did they motion for the battle to end. And it began with the duel.

The black cat, so engrossed in her match slowly became aware of the situation she'd been drawn into. Her desire to deal a mortal wound had turned into avarice and she knew it. So before she became swept away in her emotions, she threw her left dagger, the hidden rope extending behind it as Weiss deflected the blade out of reflexive habit. It was what BC was waiting for and she knew it would be Weiss' undoing, the dagger embedded itself into a crate and using a hidden pulley system, the gang leader drew herself at blinding speeds towards the heiress, right dagger poised to pierce the heiress' neck, and with that move... she lost.

Weiss Schnee may not have been as experienced as the Black Cat in a battle of blades, but Ms. Schnee, who may not have been the greatest of warriors was most certainly the greatest of merchants and a merchant always knows when to take an opportunity. Her free hand motioned behind her back as she deflected the blade, a motion to grab what she always had on hand. A bag of crystals, and whilst she may not have had the proper catalyst at the moment, BC's barreling body was a wonderful substitute. And so, before the bandaged thief could retaliate, she had collided with the pouch of volatile crystals and in a truly spectacular display found herself lodged into the very crate she was using to secure victory.

"Another time, you mangy furball."

Weiss sneered as she guided her attention towards the redhead enjoying herself in upper rafters of the wharf. There she saw something that made her pause...

* * *

"DAMMIT!"

**Moments earlier**

Ruby, who'd managed to acrobatically keep herself five steps ahead of everyone watched, in utter amusement, as Yang sent man after man flying, but she knew they weren't going to be a match and they certainly weren't going to catch her or yang.

After all, no one could even find her now. She smiled serenely as she planned her next move, prepping to drop down with her scythe and unleash yet another performance before slipping away with yang, if she could bring herself to stop cracking skulls. Ruby hoped so, she'd just found her and yang a clear escape rou...

Or she would have, if not for an arm locking around her neck

"Sorry about this. BC said I needed to handle one of you two and looks like you're it."

Ruby could barely manage to understand the situation as her consciousness left her, the last thing painting her vision was the sight of scruffy blond-hair.

* * *

"Y-yang..."

Yang's fists remained insurmountable forces, only further accentuated by the legs that caused the pier to quiver under them. Her arms were still gripped in rope, the bondage doing little to dampen her flurry of punches, all for the sake of opening a path for her and her sister. Or so she thought until she heard Weiss cry out in anger.

"I dare say, that's quite enough theatrics for one day don't you agree?"

Yang could question what the heiress was so exasperated over, Captain Port had called out and in an impressive show of authority, raised his hand and his men, almost as if mere drones, halted their movements. Still, to Yang's eyes it was almost too well timed. Why stop now?

"Now while we were here to greet those two fine young ladies, it seems, from Ms. Schnee's reaction that one has gone missing."

..._what_

Yang was no longer in the process of sending guy's flying with her punches, or proceeding to put forth even more property damage as she came to a complete halt, her gaze falling on the Heiress, who seemed awestruck by something.

Weiss' irritation told her all she needed to know as her gaze followed the heiress' own as she understood what happened. Before she could even call out, she saw Ruby disappear into the shadows of a warehouse, a figure pulling her back there.

"Ru-ruby"

Weiss dropped her gaze once more as she saw the crestfallen Yang halt, it was almost as if she'd lost the will to fight in that moment, too struck by desperation to move, her body was soon entrapped in several more ropes, her own men taking advantage of Yang's unwillingness to move.

"Well it seems she's stopped."

Weiss sighed in relief before thinking back to that figure who had taken Ruby. She'd seen him before, she was certain of it... he was. But it was then that her musing was interrupted, interrupted by something that she'd forgotten in the moment. Her head swivelled, looking towards Port as she demanded

"You secured that crook didn't you?!"

"Hmm, was I here in an official capacity?"

His bemusing question only caused her to swivel her head in the opposite direction, back towards that crate she'd left behind only moments earlier...

"DAMMIT!"

Weiss screamed in exasperation as she looked towards Port who could only manage to shrug. Not even he knew how that vigilante did it, but once again, she was gone.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LET HER GET AWAY! WHAT'S THE POINT OF STOCKING YOUR ARMORY IF YOU FAIL TO USE IT"

Weiss shrieked in anguish as she berated Port's inaction.

The elderly gentleman only proceeded to chuckle halfheartedly.

"Well my dear Heiress, I was only commanded to act as a greeting escort for the two visitors, but it seems that you young ladies have decided to take the reigns from me. So forgive me if I leave you to your devices, after all, I am fairly useless he said with a chuckle.

Weiss couldn't make heads or tails of what the Captain was saying, that is until she heard the explosive roar of anger that came from the fiery blonde, screaming for her sister. She'd only managed to look away for a moment before she noticed that Port and his regiment were already on their way out of the wharf, leaving her and her men to handle the insane blonde oaf.

There was no question about it. This was her loss.

* * *

**Present**

And so here she was, with a pissed off immigrant who'd managed to create more expenses for her district in less than a day, than grimm did in a whole month.

"Get out of the way!"

"No, I'm not letting you go out and wreak havoc!"

"Like you can stop me?!"

The shouting match had only started up a few minutes ago and yet it felt like it had gone on for what felt like days. The Emerl city Bazaar which only moments before had been a scene of chaos, much in part to the unwieldy blonde, was now silent. Save, of course, for the shouting match that radiated from the Schnee company loft. Inside, Ms Schnee was fiercely combating her yellow haired _guest._

Despite the condition that yang was in, dealing with her was not what one would call an easy affair. Even in her restraints, she still had a sense of overwhelming danger emitting from her every movement and every time Weiss looked to her, she felt this unease that the girl could spew fire at any minute, as ridiculous as the very notion seemed.

"Where's my sister?!"

"I told you, we don't know!"

It had been like this for an hour now, a back and forth of anger, a burning flame against a cold front, with neither side giving way. Weiss could only do her best to shrug off Yang's attempts to grill her for more information, but still she would need to address the situation sooner or later, if she was to get the dragon on her side... If she could get the dragon on her side.

"But you said you knew who took her."

"I said that I was your best chance, but I never said that I could guarantee anything. I know Black Cat tenuously from all the activity she's had in opposition to my enterprises. I don't know her face, I don't know her age, I don't know her name, I don't know how many she has in her employ, I don't even know what her end goal is. All I know is that she's out of somewhere in the lower districts."

"Then let me go there!"

Weiss brought a hand to her forehead and sighed. Shaking her head, she brought up a book and opened it to a page holding a map of an island to yang's face.

"Do you see this?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"This is a map of this island. It's fifty miles in diameter."

"Yeah and?"

Weiss began, with a a crystal she had picked up to draw a jagged line, at certain places she zigged and then zagged, some were completely shaded in, but by the end of it, a picture of a rather elaborate shape came out, one that took up 1/8th of the island.

"All of this is the lower district. You can't just 'go there'"

"Then what do we do?!"

Yang was slowly building up her rage, and also, unbeknownst to Weiss, the temperature of the room.

"We do nothing. In case you missed it, you are in my care, and I decide the course of action. I know you want your sister, and I'd love nothing more than to rid that district of BC, but until I get a grasp of what she wants and when, you're going to stay here and you're going to make up for all the damage you've caused."

"And why should I?"

"Because I'm the only chance you've got in this strange land."

Yang, in realization of the extent of what she and ruby likely had just been swept up in, could not muster up a retort. Her anger deflated as she had to accept the way things were at the moment.

"Fine, but... but at least assure me that she's still alive.

"Look, I don't know why you two are here, but I guarantee that we'll get your sister back... there's no telling what Black Cat is doing to her, but that crook for all the bad she's done isn't a murderer, not unless she's pushed too far."

"So she's safe?"

"I don't know what situation she's in. Like I said, I've no clue who the Black Cat is."

* * *

**At that same moment**

Ruby awoke, eyes quickly scanning the room she was in, she was quick to try and grasp at the human form near by, but she soon found herself stopped by a gentle, yet firm hand. She soon came to realize that she was in a room painted true elegance. Clean and pristine, it had decor not unlike a garden and not far off from the standing of a noble. The hand that had kept her in place wasn't that of the blond male who'd stolen her away. No, it was the hand of a fair, young woman, dressed in an elegant black gown, and sporting a bow. The woman, with eyes of amber turned to greet her.

"Ah awake are you?"

The woman, her left hand closing a book she had been reading, looked on with silent anticipation.

"Wh-where am I? Who are you?!"

"At the moment, you're in the guest room of my villa, and as for me."

The woman gave a gentle smile, it seemed as caring as it did deceptively playful.

Getting up, she curtsied, for the young lady and finally gave her name.

"You can call me Lady Belladonna."


End file.
